Me On Monday - January 28th

"Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart..."  Victor Hugo (hope dream giftbook)

It's been a very uneventful week.  Too cold, icy & windy to walk outside; in plain speak, it's January in southern Ontario. Other than to church I haven't driven anywhere.  Mr Man & I did run some errands together into the near to us city for groceries but our timing was between snow events.  We have been blasted with lots of snow days, plunging temperatures, some nights with the wind chill factored in -32 (c). We are "bracing" for a "major" snow storm scheduled to arrived Monday afternoon into Tuesday morning.   I am baffled by the language used by the news reporting on the weather - it's all so disastrous & catastrophic.

As of right now I'm reading a trilogy of books, loaned to me by the lady I cat sit for; The Muskoka Novels by Gabriele Wills. 

Muskoka is an area north east of where I live & it's a well known area of cottages & lakes.  From Wikipedia; Muskoka is a summer destination for Toronto residents and was the #1 most searched Canadian destination for vacation rentals in 2017^[3]. The Muskoka region was also ranked #1 for best trips of 2011 by National Geographic, and was a finalist for the same distinction in 2012.  Several Hollywood stars have large "cottages" in the region; Tom Hanks, Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russell & Steven Spielberg.

As of right now I'm making slow progress on my sort of scrapping stuff.  I read in one of my minimalism books, that organizing & sorting of stuff while makes things tidy, it still isn't addressing the problem of too much stuff.  I need to ponder that one a little more. But for now the non seasonal related papers are organized by colour group into 12X12 plastic containers which are then inside the wire storage drawers.

I found in my sorting of crafting stuff, a die cut set of hearts I have but obviously never used because I did not know it contained a banner or border edge - it's like shopping in my own stash.  So I was (easily) distracted & made up a quick & simple Valentine's Day card using the border edge. 

Last week I received some very happy mail - always grateful for online blogging friends.  What a great project Ruth has undertaken, a year of thanking.  You can read about Ruth's project here:  This West London Life

As of right now, there's no new job looming, no prospects in the fire but I'm told not to be discouraged, it's the time of year, projects are just gearing up again after the Christmas break.



"some small courtesy may restore someone's faith in humankind. Thank goodness for kindly & cheerful ladies at the checkout."
 ... a bit of a paraphrase Charlotte Gray (smile giftbook) 
   ... and may I add thank goodness for blogging friends.

Take Three Thursday - Marking Time

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take 1 - 3 photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in.   What have you noticed this week?  

Please have a peek at what others have found this week:
Melissa at: Bits & Pieces 
Mrs Wookie at: Mrs Wookies Wanderings
Alexa at: Trimming The Sails  
Karen at: Random Reflections

This week what I've noticed has much to do with my 2019 goals; my discovery of a new way of setting goals, especially around my scrapping & storytelling style & methods.

While I am looking forward, I thought it would be interesting if not helpful to maybe have a look back on how I kept notes about the weather as my gardening scrapbooking is what I do most of.  I've been keeping notes about weather since high school because of a geography project.  By the way I scored a very high mark for my completed project.

What I noticed about my early weather calendars was the sense of fun & play about them, even in recording winter months or maybe because of winter.  I do know that I would find a sticker sheet & use it, no saving or stashing, no buy extra just in case.  Then as I review my current calendars I noticed a lessening of product use & definitely a lessening of play & fun on my page.

So my threesome to day is a look back, plus it also serves (me) with a reminder of returning to play, fun & using the stuff I have.  I haven't yet put together 2019 January's calendar page but you can be sure there will be a return to a sense of play in recording the month's weather.   Also to note, it was fun to look back to see how if any the weather patterns have changed.  Oh & these pages are not part of my school project, like so much from my youth, nothing was saved.

The first page is from 2004, the second is from 2005 & the third is from 2013

And yes I did have a quick thought "oh I wish I had bought two of those snowmen dies & sticker sheets because I would use them now " (would I though ?).

"wake up with a smile, go after life, live it, enjoy it, taste it, smell it, feel it."  Joe Knapp from  hope dream giftbook

Me On A Monday

Currently: I am in recovery mode.  I spent most of last week laid up with a painful injury & taking lots of pain & anti-inflammatory medication.  If I missed visiting your blog, I apologize, sometimes the pain was a little more than I was comfortable with. Sometimes with lots of medication I may not have been at my best to make comments! Most days I had a narrow window of being upright as sitting impossible, standing painful.  But I'm much better now.  So, let's begin again...

Currently Reading:  The More Of  Less & New Minimalism.

 Design Your Next Chapter, by Debbie Travis, a decorating icon in Canada, who now owns a retreat centre in Tuscany Italy.

 What Alice Forgot;

I read Designing Your Next Chapter first as it was an inter library loan & it needed to be returned within 10 days of pick up.  The book that has surprised me the most is the New Minimalism.  It was a second choice to fill a question but turns out, very well presented with lots of nice photos.  These two ladies have, I think, blended very nicely several of the latest & previous styles of de-cluttering & minimizing your belongings.  It read quite easily & flowed in thought.  They write as if talking to friends  I picked up several ideas & quotes.  I'm just starting What Alice Forgot.

Current Weather: we are in a January deep freeze with wind chill temperatures of -28 (c) - this type of cold can cause frost bite within 5 minutes of exposure.  I think my St Fiacre statue (parton saint of gardeners) was shivering in the cold.

Currently Thinking: a lot & reading on how to set goals for myself, & for our little family in 2019. Trying to include my OLW into this.

I recently read someone's blog post about setting goals & it was like a shock going through me when I said aloud "ah ha, that's what is missing from my to do goal list"  This person, who's blog is not one I have read before this post, & here's the sad part, I cannot remember who's blog it was on!   This brilliant, yet ever so so simple idea was that she posted her list with a goal intention of why she was putting the item on her 2019 to do list. So right now I can only send out my thanks via The Universe to her for this brilliant, usable & simple idea.  So I have now listed an intention with all of my nine goals for 2019 (I did try to come up with 19 goals but 9 are reasonable & doable).

Currently Putting Knowledge Into Action:  Previously I would put on my goal list something like "use up scrapping stash" or "sort scrapping stash" with out stating (or maybe even really thinking about) the result I was looking for.  No specifics, no time line, no steps needed to achieve the goal. Just some loose goal - use up stash ...  So now my 2019 list has the goal with a stated end result intention I'm looking for, along with at least 3 steps to achieve.

Sketch Stash

Example: Reduce Scrapping Stash: Intention: the goal is to reduce the amount of paper storage I require.  To feel less guilty about the amount of money I have spent. To use the products to make the pages that I took those photos for.  Step One: Make Up Page Kits From Stash: I plan to make 12 page kits from the stash for my garden album by end of March. I have made two so far;  injury (life) got in the way of goals (plans).  Step 1a:  is to sort paper into season; i.e. snowy related product; colour co-ordinate; local / sort embellishments; Step 1b: put in 12X12 sleeves with photos or list of photos needed. Step 1c:  Pick 1 or 2 sketch layout for each month which allows variance & idea of how to lay out papers, embellishments & photos. 

For January

For February

I am definitely using my OLW of Focus on this goal, which ties in with my January Angel Thought of  Surrender & Release.  I'm releasing the old way of doing goals, I'm surrendering the fear of using that special paper in case one day I find a really special idea for using it.  Now is that time for special paper use on current layouts.
  
What about you - how are you doing with your 2019 goals or resolutions?  Settling in with your One Little Word?

"Every morning is a new beginning, a chance to try again, to start over." 

 

Take Three Thursday - Get A Grip

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take 1 - 3 photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in.   What have you noticed this week?  

Please have a peek at what others have found this week:
Melissa at: Bits & Pieces 
Mrs Wookie at: Mrs Wookies Wanderings
Alexa at: Trimming The Sails
Karen at: Random Reflections

Moose Winooski - mascot

Door handles, these three are from a "pub" or "roadhouse" that we visit when in Kitchener - it has quite an atmosphere of fun & it's always noisy. Their entire restaurant & bar area are themed to the Canadian wilderness, even their door handles & knobs reflect this theme.  Their mascot is a moose.  The antler door handles are not real ones & they have no real moose heads on the wall just replicas.  If you share it is your birthday, then you get to wear a hat fashioned with antlers, spin a board for a prize & have some of the wait staff sing happy birthday to you.  Oh if you spin & land on pie in the face - you in fact get a pie in the face ... I've never shared my birthday at this location!!

these are real oars

These are my favourite handles & would like some at home

not real antlers

Take Three Thursday - Digging Deep

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take 1 - 3 photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in.   What have you noticed this week?  

Please have a peek at what others have found this week:
Melissa at: Bits & Pieces 
Mrs Wookie at: Mrs Wookies Wanderings
Alexa at: Trimming The Sails
Karen at: Random Reflections

This week my three are about some of the black squirrels in our back garden.  

I finally put out the little pumpkin I had for decoration at Thanksgiving, for their feasting pleasure on a hard winter's day to allow the squirrels a feast.  There seemed to be great enjoyment but oh what a mess!  Mr Man's comment was "you'll have a hard time cleaning that up come the spring."  On second thought maybe I should have tossed into the field rather than on the patio.  Well at least I got to watch them enjoy!

"each day I look for a kernel of excitement..."  Barbara Jordan (hope, dream gift book).

 

Me On A Monday - January 7th

Good Morning to you all.  In this part of the world we are all asking the question, "where is the sun"  it has been far too many days living in grey dull overcast skies.  Tomorrow's forecast is Snow; Freezing Rain; Rain - it all depends on the low & the high what we end up with but surely it will be messy.

The Run That Runs Through Our Village

 Currently:

Reading:  Leaders Eat Last.  It's quite like a textbook read about the successful leaders who are also bosses, CEOs or mangers. Not all mangers, bosses or CEOs are leaders!  I watched a couple of TED Talks with Simon regarding managing & one in particular was on how to manger Milennials successfully.  

From Under The Tree: new flannel bedsheets & pjs & bed socks - all Christmas gifts.  I wouldn't normally pick such a print for my sheets but they do work for the months of winter.  In case any one wonders the difference between regular socks & bed socks, it's the cuff, very loose on bed socks & they are also much fuzzier.  I felt very co-originated climbing in to bed Saturday night.

Gifting:  I received some very generous happy mail - this little gift book "hope, dream" is so very appreciated & a good source for some end of post quotes.  It's a sister book to my "Smile" gift book received last year.

Entertaining:  we hosted a little gathering of the ladies that did our roof this past October to say thank you.  The lady that owns the company is also part of the duo that comes every 5 weeks to trim our fur girls nails.  So needless to say, neither cat made an appearance all afternoon/evening for fear of having their nails trimmed.   Mr Man & I really enjoyed the company of these three ladies.  Lots of laughs, interesting & varied conversation & Mr Man & I wondered out loud after they left why we don't entertain more, especially since they brought us a large tin of chocolates & two bottles of wine ...

The Chocolates The Ladies Brought Us

"our little boats set sail on an unknown ocean & at this we are afraid.  But we are a part of wonder.  The sea is bright with marvels, the sky is awash with starts.  And we are alive in the midst of them." Pam Brown  (hope dream giftbook)

Take Three Thursday & WPSH Combo

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take 1 - 3 photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in.   What have you noticed this week?  

Please have a peek at what others have found this week:
Melissa at: Bits & Pieces 
Mrs Wookie at: Mrs Wookies Wanderings
Alexa at: Trimming The Sails

This week my threesome are also submissions for the WPSH, hosted by Eileen at:  A Bracelet Of Days

Here's the full list for anyone who hasn't seen it.

1. At the end of the day
2. Pool of light
3. Fastener
4. Nail
5. A group activity
6. Water dispenser
7. Horse
8. Chocolate
9. Peel/peeling
10. Holly
11. Dressed for the season
12. Glitter
13. An instruction
14. A crossing place
15. Flight
16. A measurement
17. Orange
18. A natural feature
19. A carved object

This is my threesome & my #19 - A Carved Object; a nativity scene-the pieces are carved from solid pieces of tree - although  Mary & Joseph's hands were separate pieces that were attached with wood pegs.

 
 I'm off to a really slow start with my search for the items on the list.  Maybe now that the Christmas holidays are done, I'll have more time to focus on the list.  I do hope you join in with the fun of both the WPSH & Take Three Thursday.